# Don't Ask Any Questions In Kalamazoo! \[off-duty cop wishes he could carry a gun in Calgary\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 9, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996 "2012-08-09T19:57:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/61 "2012-08-10T20:10:55Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Pity that people have to arm themselves when they go to the movies I’m armed when I go to the movies. I pity the moviegoers who are _un_armed. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/62 "2012-08-10T20:25:22Z")
I thought I was a gun/self defense nut! Seriously there are people who don’t like going out unarmed?! Look leave the second amendment argument aside, all that politics crap. You really feel unsafe going out without a firearm? I’m certainly not above breaking stupid laws about self defense, I sent my wife pepper spray and her family members, I carry it myself against the law. I’ve had to use it ONCE to clear a path to flee a car trapped in a riot/robbery roadblock where people were dousing drivers in gasoline and threatening to light them and beating and robbing them. A gun would have been unneeded in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/63 "2012-08-10T20:33:45Z")
> [@grude](#): > > I thought I was a gun/self defense nut! > > Seriously there are people who don’t like going out unarmed?! Look leave the second amendment argument aside, all that politics crap. You really feel unsafe going out without a firearm? Going out unarmed? And you call yourself a gun nut. I used to work with a guy who had guns everywhere. I mean everywhere. He was describing to me the ingenuous ways he hid guns around his house in case he needed them (while making it clear that he wasn’t telling me all his hiding places so I shouldn’t get any ideas). I jokingly asked him what he’d do if somebody attacked him while he was in the shower. No problem. He quite seriously explained how he had built a shelf in his shower up above the shower head so he could keep a gun there while he was showering. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/64 "2012-08-10T20:49:31Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I’m armed when I go to the movies. I pity the moviegoers who are _un_armed. 🙂 I pity people who must unwittingly share a movie theater with armed patrons. ---
**Author:** ![vd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b19c9b/32.png) [@vd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vd)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/65 "2012-08-10T20:56:17Z")
I think it would work best in theaters if only people in, say, even numbered seats have arms. Or if everyone only had right arms, which has the additional benefit of knowing which cup-holder is yours. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/66 "2012-08-10T20:58:26Z")
Oh and Wawra has learned nothing and doesn’t regret his letter.[ > [@](#): > > He said despite all the negative attention his letter has received — including at least one threatening phone call to his home — he doesn’t regret writing it. > > “What concerned me is two young men just approached us and stopped us, stopping us by being in our path, and [began] talking to us without even being welcome to talk to us. They just took it upon themselves to yell at us.” > > He said he should have the right to protect himself if things had escalated. ](['Nose Hill Gentlemen' pro-gun letter sparks Twitter frenzy | CBC News](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2012/08/08/calgary-nose-hill-gun-stampede-police-us.html)) ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/67 "2012-08-10T21:20:15Z")
Yes, how DARE they talk to him without being “welcome” to talk to him. I’m terribly curious as to what he thinks the appropriate way to initiate a conversion involves. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/68 "2012-08-10T21:40:15Z")
> [@the\_Lady](#): > > Yes, how DARE they talk to him without being “welcome” to talk to him. > I’m terribly curious as to what he thinks the appropriate way to initiate a conversion involves. The procedure is to [communicate with steely eyes](http://youtu.be/J0BrdMi-oyc)rather than with words, and if the steely eyes fail, then shoot. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/69 "2012-08-10T22:09:07Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Seriously there are people who don’t like going out unarmed?! Look leave the second amendment argument aside, all that politics crap. You really feel unsafe going out without a firearm? I cannot be in a moving car unless I have my seatbelt buckled; if I’m not wearing a seatbelt I feel \*very \*vulnerable. And I cannot sleep in a house if there are no smoke alarms. By the same token, I \*\*\*hate \*\*\*being in public when I’m unarmed. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/70 "2012-08-10T22:12:22Z")
> [@the\_Lady](#): > > Yes, how DARE they talk to him without being “welcome” to talk to him. > I’m terribly curious as to what he thinks the appropriate way to initiate a conversion involves. “Good morning, Sir!” “Hello, my name is Bob” Things along those lines. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/71 "2012-08-10T22:13:54Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > By the same token, I \*\*\*hate \*\*\*being in public when I’m unarmed. Maybe Levy, AR or some sections of Memphis. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/72 "2012-08-10T23:50:07Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I cannot be in a moving car unless I have my seatbelt buckled; if I’m not wearing a seatbelt I feel \*very \*vulnerable. And I cannot sleep in a house if there are no smoke alarms. > > By the same token, I \*\*\*hate \*\*\*being in public when I’m unarmed. Time to get counselling for that problem. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/73 "2012-08-11T00:38:40Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Ducati, your experience and attitude regarding gun use is utterly unsuited and inapplicable to Canada. We have rather strict laws to keep people like you from endangering us. Eh hem - we have such laws in parts of the United States, too. A great many people people with concealed carry permits live in those states; many of these people are quite comfortable without hand-guns on their persons. > [@Autolycus](#): > > If I may be so rude as to post seriously for a minute, I would like to say that opinion piece is a load of provincial bull-puckey… > She ends with the following gem: “As an American who is also a Canadian citizen, all I can say is, thank God I live in Canada,” to which all I can reply is, the feeling is mutual, bitch. Did you see **ducati’s** post? > [@ducati](#): > > In fact I did. Came in while I was typing. Makes all the difference in the world, and I’ll be the first to admit it. > > Now, to quibble. It’s my post, and I’ll quibble if I want to. > I was actually holding the frame of a holstered revolver, pointing with the butt. It was done intentionally, but that’s far different than “drawing a gun”. The two got out of their truck and started towards me, **away from the store** to strike up their “conversation”. You ever do that? Me neither. > > I know there are people that disagree with civilians carrying concealed weapons. I’ll never understand that anymore than you’ll understand me. > > I can live with that. > > And Autolycus: Stay off my lawn! 😃 A. Stop right there - you started spouting off about guns _ **before you understood the situation;** _ that’s the kind of thing that makes people nervous about gun owners in general, and concealed carry in particular. B. You can quibble all you want, but you essentially played with your gun. Just because someone did something you did not expect them to. Are you trying to get more restrictive gun laws passed? > [@Muffin](#): > > Time to get counselling for that problem. Truth. I _ **hate** _ knowing my guns are anywhere but safely secured. Now I want to move to Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/74 "2012-08-11T00:49:52Z")
Sounds to me like he is a gun nut who hasn’t been as upset at having something taken away since his mummy took his blankey away. He was just itching for something to happen to him in Canada so he could say “toldja so mummy, it isn’t safe out there without my blankey to protect me” but disappointingly the best he could come up with was a couple of guys who spoke to him in a friendly way without authorisation. So he had to go with that rather than admit that nothing bad had happened to him despite his total lack of his widdle blankey. It also reminds me of the great Derek and Clive sketch known as “This bloke came up to me”. The first part isn’t so relevant, but listen from about 1.55. Clearly the two guys in the park were being “provocative fuckers”. Warning, following link has appalling language that, as Parker and Stone would say, should not be listened to by anybody: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jTifRi3qDkU/hqdefault.jpg "Derek And Clive - This Bloke Came Up to me") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTifRi3qDkU) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/75 "2012-08-11T00:57:16Z")
I almost never carry off duty and I don’t fell scared. I bet New Jersey is a bit more dangerous than where some live but I’m willing to take my chances. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/76 "2012-08-11T02:41:36Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I cannot be in a moving car unless I have my seatbelt buckled; if I’m not wearing a seatbelt I feel \*very \*vulnerable. And I cannot sleep in a house if there are no smoke alarms. > > By the same token, I \*\*\*hate \*\*\*being in public when I’m unarmed. I admittedly don’t have any stats handy but I suspect that auto accidents and house fires are both far more likely than needing to defend yourself with a gun in public. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/77 "2012-08-11T02:44:46Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Going out unarmed? And you call yourself a gun nut. > > I used to work with a guy who had guns everywhere. I mean everywhere. He was describing to me the ingenuous ways he hid guns around his house in case he needed them (while making it clear that he wasn’t telling me all his hiding places so I shouldn’t get any ideas). I jokingly asked him what he’d do if somebody attacked him while he was in the shower. > > No problem. He quite seriously explained how he had built a shelf in his shower up above the shower head so he could keep a gun there while he was showering. Someone like that is dangerous. He’s obviously paranoid and distrustful of everyone around him. He’s exactly the type to shoot an innocent person who mentions stampedes… or looks at him wrong… or sneezes to loud… or dares to walk on the same side of the street as him. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/78 "2012-08-11T02:59:30Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Someone like that is dangerous. He’s obviously paranoid and distrustful of everyone around him. He’s exactly the type to shoot an innocent person who mentions stampedes… or looks at him wrong… or sneezes to loud… or dares to walk on the same side of the street as him. I really, _really_ don’t like people sneezing around me… ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/79 "2012-08-11T04:31:34Z")
You know, I forgot - I only go into Nosehill Park armed - with pepper spray for dogs, since there is a big problem in my neighbourhood with dog owners not understanding how to control their dogs. He could have armed himself with dog spray too - I was able to buy mine at the local Bass Brothers shop with no problems. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996/80 "2012-08-11T04:36:04Z")
I’m quite honestly sorry I posted this, as it’s become an American-bashing thing. I’ve met like two thousand Americans and never knew any to carry a gun. My best bud lives in the States and has never in his life owned a gun, nor has his wife, nor would it ever occur to them. Seriously, it’s a nice place. It’s all multicultural and diverse and the people are friendly and whatnot. Can we get back to making fun of the guy from Kalamazoo? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ask-any-questions-in-kalamazoo-off-duty-cop-wishes-he-could-carry-a-gun-in-calgary/630996.md?page=5)